Preston-based law firm Napthens expands Liverpool office

Award-winning north west law firm Napthens has invested in a significant expansion of its Liverpool office reinforcing its commitment to the city region.

The rapidly expanding firm has taken a 10-year lease on 5,000 sq ft of office space within Bruntwood SciTech’s The Plaza, 100 Old Hall Street in the heart of Liverpool’s thriving commercial business district.

By investing in a new home and expanding its presence, Napthens is delivering on its growth ambitions in the Liverpool City Region and across the wider north west.

Headcount at the Liverpool office has risen by 20 per cent in just 18 months to 34, providing clients with a full-service offering, which includes an eight-strong corporate team led by respected corporate partner Kieran Donovan and similar ongoing growth in complimentary practice areas of commercial property, employment, commercial litigation together with a full family and private client offering including wills, probate and residential conveyancing.

The firm works with a growing client base comprising private individuals, family companies, owner managed businesses, large corporates and institutional lenders and investors and acts for a number of high-profile regional businesses.

Since opening in Liverpool in 2018 with respected corporate lawyer Gareth McIntegart, who continues to work with the firm, the office headed by partner Kieran Donovan has increased its annual turnover from circa £640,000 in 2022 to a forecast revenue of circa £3m in 2024-2025.

Kieran said: “The move to larger premises with a long-term commitment in the heart of the commercial business district demonstrates our confidence in the Liverpool City Region economy.

“We have grown significantly over the past two and a half years and our new office will enhance our ongoing support to our clients helping them achieve their strategic objectives.

“The growth of our Liverpool office is as a key pillar to the firm’s strategy to be one of the most innovative and fastest growing law firms across the north west, retaining and attracting the best talent to allow us to deliver class leading legal services to our clients.

“Our people are fundamental to our move and our new space in Liverpool provides them with a flexible and modern working environment where they can connect and collaborate in what will be a great place to work.

“Being located in the heart of the city’s commercial business district with an excellent network of facilities both on-site and nearby, including gyms, cafes, bars, restaurants, shopping and the Liverpool waterfront, also supports our ongoing recruitment drive for top talent to join our award-winning teams.”

Simon Guest, senior commercial account and asset manager for Bruntwood SciTech in Liverpool, said: “Napthens have been a valued customer within The Plaza for a number of years, and we’re delighted to see the firm’s growth within our building.

“Finding the office space that met the growth expectations of the firm has been a journey for us both. We are delighted to have been able to facilitate this move and look forward to continuing the support for Napthens in one of the UK’s fastest growing cities.”

Napthens is planning an official client and intermediary led launch event in January 2025 to mark its move.

Kieran added: “We look forward to welcoming our clients and intermediary contacts to our new office space over the coming months as part of our everyday business. The official launch event will give us a chance to showcase our facilities and formally welcome people to our new space and an opportunity for our clients and contacts to connect with our people in person.”

Napthens is consistently ranked as one of the UK’s leading legal advisers on mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the UK in the north west, having been the top performer in 2023 according to Experian Market IQ, with 42 deals completed across the region.

Experian has also ranked Napthens as the second most active M&A legal advisor in the UK in the north west in the first half of 2024, with the firm having completed 19 deals including acting on one of the largest funding deals in the region in 2024, the £800m private equity and debt funding raised by RSK Group.

Headquartered in Preston and with other offices in Southport, Blackburn, Lytham and Kendal, Napthens has been providing legal support to individuals and businesses for more than a century.